Certain Challenges II
by LornaCat
Summary: Continues after Certain Challenges I. Adam tries to get through to Katherine, while Bree has trouble getting over the kiss...More Bree/Orson, Katherine/Bree and Katherine/Adam!
1. Chapter 1

Katherine stood in her kitchen, a men's dress shirt and underwear her only protection from the eggs and bacon cooking on the stove. Adam wandered downstairs in borrowed pajama bottoms and sat down at the table, admiring the view her outfit provided.

"Nice shirt." he remarked, debating whether or not he should ask for it back. It looked far better on her, especially with no pants. "May I ask why you have men's pajama bottoms lying around your house?"

Katherine looked over her shoulder. "They're comfortable." she said, pretending to get defensive. "Would you rather wear my pink kimono?"

Adam wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Scrambled eggs okay?" Katherine asked, turning back to the food. Adam grunted an affirmative answer. You are such a guy, she thought.

After a few beats, Adam made a decidedely un-guy-like inquiry.

"Does it bother you that we've never been on a date?"

Katherine's stirring slowed for a moment, the question catching her off guard. Without turning, Katherine put on a smile and shook her head.

"No. Why, does it bother you?"

"Nah." Adam said, but he was a terrible liar. He stood and walked over to the stove, leaning his backside on the counter so he could see Katherine's face as she cooked. "What if I wanted to take you on one?"

Avoiding eye contact, Katherine shrugged coyly.

"Why don't you ask and find out?" She was trying to keep it light, though she'd begun to feel a familiar dread. Surely Adam wasn't seriously thinking of..._dating_ her?

"Dinner and a movie." said Adam.

"Sure." Katherine replied cheerily, feeling like a heel for faking it.

Adam nodded, pleased. Katherine seemed distant, but she'd said yes and that was all he'd hoped for from the morning.

"Great."

"Great."

Adam wandered back over to the table, taking his seat once again. When Katherine was done cooking, she put the food on a plate and walked over to the table. Adam reached up to grab a piece of bacon, but Katherine pulled the plate away.

"Ah ah ah..." she warned him. She held it away from her body, swinging a leg over Adam's lap to sit straddling him. "You have to kiss the cook first." She put the plate on the table next to them, and caught Adam peeking down the front of the barely buttoned shirt.

"Oops." said Katherine, her now free hands moving toward the buttons.

"I don't mind." Adam said quickly.

"I know." Katherine breathed, unbuttoning the one button. "Neither do I."

Adam made a sound, his hands caressing her thighs as the shirt dropped to the floor.

This was the part she could handle. Maybe if she could distract him enough he'd forget all about that dinner and a movie.

Another day, another meeting. Katherine and Bree had their heads down over paperwork and planning sheets, another event in the works. Katherine's pen stopped, and she started tapping it on the table.

"Adam asked me on a date." she said eventually.

Bree's eyebrows furrowed just so, but she did her best to stay cheery.

"Oh! That's wonderful, congratulations!"

"Thanks." said Katherine wryly. She knew exactly what Bree was thinking - that Katherine had been sleeping with Adam for weeks now and that she thought "dating" had been implied.

"Say it, Bree. I can feel you judging me."

"It's not that," said Bree, realizing she had lain it on a little thick. "I just assumed dating was already part of the deal."

"Well I guess he wants to renegotiate. It's sad really, he was just starting to grow on me."

"You're not going to _dump_ him because he asked you on a date?" Bree asked incredulously.

"That's the point, Bree. I'm going to let him go now so that we can avoid such unpleasantries down the road."

Bree was amazed.

"Perhaps if he belonged to someone else?"

Katherine pursed her lips and gave Bree a look. Bree looked back with raised eyebrows, expecting a better answer.

"What happened to that Katherine that was so intent on taking a chance? It wasn't that long ago that you lectured me about pushing people away."  
"This is different!" Katherine insisted. "He's so _young_. What if he wants kids, or needs to relocate for his career?"  
"This might sound a little strange coming from me, but...aren't you planning a little far ahead? Give the poor man a chance before you send him out of town with an imaginary litter of children!"

"I just don't think he's thought about the bigger picture. About what it would be like to be with me."

"Katherinnne," Bree took a lecturing tone. "He's expressed an interest in developing a relationship beyond casual sex. He's obviously been thinking about it quite a bit."

"And I don't know if I feel the same." Katherine informed her. She knew now what she must have sounded like when Orson entered the scene, and it was starting to agitate.

Bree sighed. "My, how the tide has turned."

"I'm going on the date, already. What more do you want?"

"I want you to be happy."

"I'm happy just being here, planning parties with you." said Katherine sarcastically.

Bree made a sarcastic 'aw' face and let the subject drop. There were more important matters at hand, like the hors d'ouvres selection for Susan's new book release.


	2. Chapter 2

"You two have really outdone yourselves!" Susan ran up to Bree and Katherine, using both arms to grab them both at once in a forced group hug.

"You're not just a client, you're a friend." Bree reminded her, patting her on the back.

"Oh, I don't know why I'm always surprised." Susan gushed. "You're professionals now!"

"Susan, it's almost time to start the signing." said Katherine, gently guiding her toward tables stacked high with picture books. She and Bree had booked a locally owned children's toy store, and there was a line of boys and girls ages five and up waiting to meet the woman from the back of their favorite books.

After getting her all set up, Bree and Katherine hovered a safe distance away as they usually did at the events they planned.

"Looks like there are more adults here than children. Do you think they'll all want a balloon?" Katherine asked. They'd only ordered one hundred balloons with the main character's face and name on them.

Bree was about to answer but caught sight of someone over Katherine's shoulder, and her face lit up.

"Look who's here!"

Katherine turned her head casually, then spun around when she saw who it was behind her.

"Adam!" Katherine heard the edge in her own voice and tried to shake it. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you in action." He leaned in so only Katherine could hear the next part. "You know, outside the bedroom?" Adam covered up his hidden comment by giving Katherine a quick peck on the cheek.

Katherine shifted uncomfortably, feeling the grin on Bree's face without needing to see it.

"Bree told me you'd both be here today." Adam explained, looking around the store.

Katherine turned her head slowly to look at Bree. "Really."

Bree continued to smile at Adam. "It's so nice to formally meet you, Adam. Katherine has told me so much about you."  
"She has?" Adam seemed pleasantly surprised.

"Well..." Bree said. "No, not really. But I'd love to hear more!"

"And I'd just love to tell it," Katherine cut in. "But I really have to attend to the guests."

"You sure? I'd love to meet some more of your friends..."

"I'm just so busy, Adam. Maybe later?"

"Okay. I was going to get my book signed anyway." Adam held up a copy of Susan's book. "I can't wait to find out what happens to Tubby the bear cub." he said, pointing to the fuzzy illustrations on the cover. "Besides, I'll have you all to myself tomorrow night."

Katherine managed a tight-lipped smile, waiting a bit too obviously for him to leave.

"Come talk to me if you can spare a few minutes." was his last request. Adam gave Bree a wave and thanked her for inviting him before giving Katherine the space she demanded.

"He seems nice, why -" Bree began, but stopped short when she saw the dirty look that was being directed at her.

Katherine took off, forcing Bree to go after her.

"Katherine!" Bree hissed, not wanting to upset the special guests.

Katherine stopped, crossing her arms.

"You are acting childish!" Bree told her.

"At least I'm in the right place. What the hell were you thinking, telling him to come here?"

"I was thinking this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce me to your...whatever he is at the moment. What were _you_ thinking? At my worst moment of panic I did not treat Orson the way you just treated Adam."

"Sorry, I don't work well when _ambushed_."

"Don't be sore," Bree softened her tone. "You did the same thing to me when we met Orson."

"Yeah? The difference is you were secretly grateful for the interference!"

"And I know you will be grateful for mine." Bree insisted. "Eventually." she added after receiving another dirty look. "Now please, go over to him and at least imply that it was nice to run into him here."

Katherine glanced over to a display of puppets, where Adam was pretending to busy himself with a floppy cloth cat. When he saw that Katherine was looking, the cat puppet waved hello with its little paw.

Adam put down the puppet as Katherine approached.

"I didn't mean to intrude." he said.

"You didn't intrude." said Katherine. "I just don't like to be distracted while I'm working."

"Ah...so you find me distracting."

"Mm-hm."

"Now, why on earth..." Adam began, picking out a neon blue monkey from the rack of stuffed animals. He put its face to Katherine's cheek. "Would you find me distracting?"

Katherine scrunched up her nose as the monkey peppered her face with cloth kisses.

"I can't say it in front of Curious George."

"Can you say it at the little French place on 5th Avenue?"

"Five stars, huh? You must want to impress me."

"That's my goal, to graduate from distracting to impressive." Adam handed Katherine the monkey. "I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow."

"It's a date." Katherine found herself saying. And she still wasn't sure how she felt about that.

_Later that night..._

"Oh god..." Bree prayed blasphemously. Orson had her close to the edge. "Oh god!"

She clutched at his back, trying to make the good feeling last as long as possible before allowing it to take over her entire body. She held her breath, though every few seconds a high pitched moan would escape her throat involuntarily. Orson loved when she did that, loved how she tried so hard to control it even when he was really the one in charge.

"You ready?" he asked, teasing her. With eyes squeezed shut, she nodded emphatically. He felt her legs squeeze his waist, and he knew she was about to lose control completely. She cried out once, and murmured things under her breath that Orson was no longer shocked to hear coming from her mouth.

Orson finished soon after, taking full advantage of the still strong echoes of Bree's pleasure.

"Amazing." Orson said, kissing her as they both caught their breath.

"Mmm." Bree moaned into his lips. "Katherine..."

Bree's eyes flew open, as wide as if she'd been electrocuted.

It was so unexpected that Orson laughed out loud.

"Bree," he scolded playfully. "I had no idea."

Bree was trying to push herself up and out from under Orson, stammering incomprehensibly.

Orson laughed again, putting a hand on her waist to still her.

"Hey, stop, come back here."

She wriggled away, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and covering herself with the bed covers. Orson dove, grabbing her wrist before she could stand and escape. She sat back down on the bed, facing away from him.

"Bree! It's no big deal. It happens."

Bree refused to look him in the eye. It occurred to Orson that maybe it was a bigger deal than he thought. He wiggled her hand, trying to get her to talk to him.

"Bree...say something."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize, you didn't do anything wrong."

After another silence, Bree suddenly laughed a light, nervous laugh.

"I'm fine. I'm just going to take a shower."

Bree gathered her blanket around her, shuffling with tiny steps to her bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Whoa, Orson thought. He had stumbled on to something deep here.


	3. Chapter 3

"Walk me in?" Katherine asked Adam. He'd just pulled his car into Katherine's driveway.

Adam turned the car off, saying yes with a tiny smile. As she walked to her door, Katherine glanced back, expecting to catch him checking her out. She found him with his eyes to the ground, following her at a distance with his hands in his pockets.  
He'd been very quiet all the way back to her house, and though she wondered what was on his mind, Katherine didn't want to pry. She had other activities in mind...

"So..." said Adam. He stood just inside the door and watched Katherine hang her sweater in the closet. "Did you enjoy the meal?"

"It was delicious." Katherine replied, taking her heels off one at a time. "Now strip."

Katherine backed him up against the door and tried to peel off his suit jacket.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Adam said, holding the jacket in place.

"Mmm!" Katherine whined. "I've been waiting for this part all night."

"Can't we just...talk for a while?"

"We just talked for two hours."

"Yeah, about me. You barely answered any of my questions with more than one syllable."

"We can talk afterward." Katherine told him, going for his shirt buttons.

Adam grabbed her wrists. Katherine stopped fighting him, startled by the angry look in his eyes. He stared at her, looking for something behind the mischief.

"Do you even like me?" he asked.

Katherine laughed. "Of course I like you." she insisted.

"Then why won't you let me in?"

Her mouth hung open; she wanted to laugh again but knew it would be inappropriate.

"What are we doing here?" Adam persisted.

"We're having fun!" said Katherine. "We have a good thing going, do we really need to ruin it by defining it?"

"I want to know you, Katherine. I'd rather be your friend than your fuck buddy."

Adam had never seen a face go from amused disbelief to anger so quickly.

Katherine pulled her wrists free of Adam's hands in one swift, violent motion.

"How about neither?" she suggested, her voice turned cold.

"Katherine, I -"

"Maybe you should try finding someone who's not giving it away."

"You know that's not what I meant. All I want from you is a real conversation, would it really be that hard to open up?"

"Feel free to leave at any time." Katherine said as she crossed her arms.

"You'd rather kick me out than talk to me." said Adam, more statement than question. "That's great."

Adam swung the door open. He tried to find something else to say that would make her talk to him, but her defenses were all the way up and he was too frustrated not to say something he'd regret later. Everything he thought of included the words 'stubborn', 'impossible' and 'sex toy', the last of which he refused to remain any longer.

He didn't slam the door, but closed it quietly enough to fill Katherine with even more frustration than her unrelieved physical needs had already left her with.

"Ugh!" she growled, throwing a shoe at the door. It did nothing to satisfy her.

_the next day..._

Katherine knocked for a third time on Bree's door. She'd purposefully waited to cross the street until Bree returned from the grocery store. She'd watched Bree park in her driveway and carry the bags into the house, and could not understand why she wasn't answering her door.

Katherine took a few steps to her left, peeking past the filly curtains that covered the window next to the door.

"Bree?" She called through the glass. "Bree...you know I can see you, right? Your curtains are not opaque."

Within moments, Bree's door was open.

"Sorry. I was listening to music."

Katherine leaned in the doorway, eyes shifting from side to side.  
"I don't hear anything..."

"Did you need something?" Bree asked. It was the kind of thing you asked someone when you didn't want them on your doorstep.

"I wanted to talk to you." Katherine told her, feeling defensive and unsure as to why she had to explain herself. "About Adam. Our date was a complete disaster."  
"Oh?" Bree asked, trying too hard to sound interested.

Katherine narrowed her eyes.

"Is something wrong, Bree? You seem distracted."

Bree found herself staring at Katherine. More specifically, at her lips.

"Ah..." Bree stammered. Ever since the "incident" with Orson (as Bree would have referred to it if she were to tell any other living soul), Katherine's lips had been on her mind a lot. When Katherine had kissed her at their lunch date, Bree had written it off as an intimate display of affection between friends. _Girls can kiss each other_, Bree told herself. _It doesn't mean they're...you know._ On the surface Bree had complete faith in this, but her subconscious knew better and was not going to let her forget it. And now Katherine was pouting...pouting with those soft, luscious lips...

"Can we go inside?" Katherine interrupted Bree's thoughts. All this time Katherine had been left outside on the stoop. "This feels awkward."

"I have to go!" said Bree.

"You just got home." Katherine reminded her.

"I forgot something at the store!"

Bree grabbed her handbag from the table beside the door, stepping past Katherine and pulling the door shut behind her.

"Can I come with you?" Katherine called to her as Bree trotted down the walk. "I really need to get some things off my chest."

"I'll be back in an hour!" Bree called back. She rushed into her car and slammed the door, leaving a bewildered Katherine to wonder how Bree managed to leave tire tracks in her own driveway.

Katherine shuffled lazily back across the street, depression setting in. As if it weren't bad enough to lose Adam overnight, her best friend couldn't sit still long enough to listen to her bitch about it.

"Everybody hates me." Katherine said out loud to no one.

Once inside her own house, Katherine sighed and looked around. Her eyes came to rest on the telephone.

It was time to call Adam.

_ring...ring...ring...ring..._

Katherine reached a voicemail menu. She smiled a little when she heard his voice, telling her to leave a message. You could tell how cute and friendly he was even through a machine. She shook her head, trying to shake the regret out of it. When the beep finally came, she took a deep breath.

"Hi, Adam. It's me. Um..." Katherine wished she'd thought of something to say before dialing; now she had to wing it.

"I'm sorry about last night. I overreacted. You were right, I need to open up. I can be such a bitch sometimes, and...I think you deserve better. You're a great guy - no, you're a really, _really_ great guy - and you should find someone with a little less baggage."

_Baggage..._ Saying it out loud put a lump in Katherine's throat, and she knew her voice would only get shakier the longer she went on.

"God, I'm such a hypocrite. All the times I told Bree she was being pathetic and now here I am, finally admitting that I'm not worth the effort."

Katherine chuckled sadly, blinking back her tears.

"Anyway...thanks for putting up with me this long. Goodbye, Adam."


	4. Chapter 4

"Fancy meeting you here." said Orson to Katherine. They'd shown up independently of one another at Katherine's favorite hideaway, the hotel bar in downtown Fairview. This time, Katherine had decided to skulk in a dark booth near the back; the actual bar only reminded her of the first time she met Adam. Orson had seen her on his way to the men's room.

"Hi, Orson." Katherine greeted him, sounding like she was greeting death itself. She started, looking at Orson with renewed surprise. "Orson!"

"Yes?"

"You didn't run screaming in the opposite direction!"

"You're right, I didn't. Should I have?"

"I don't know. It seems to be the popular thing to do these days."

Orson could see that she was depressed, and more than a little drunk. He'd had a few already himself.

"What happened?" He asked, taking a seat across from her.

Katherine slumped even further in her seat, realizing she'd have to rehash her entire ordeal in order to tell him.

"Adam and I broke up."

"No!" said Orson sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear that."  
"Well, we didn't so much break up as just..." Katherine made the sound of a balloon deflating. "We were never an item to begin with."

"From what Bree was saying, you two were -"

"That's the other thing!" Katherine interrupted him. She was just beginning to slur her words. "Bree. I went to talk to her and she couldn't get away fast enough. Orson...have I become horribly disfigured without realizing it?"

"No, Katherine. You're still as beautiful as ever."  
"Aw. That's nice of you."

"I do know how you feel, though."

"Oh really? Do tell."

"Bree's been avoiding me..."  
"What? Why? Bree loves you!"

"She said someone else's name while we were making love."

A short burst of laughter escaped Katherine's mouth, and she stifled it with her right hand.

"Oh Orson, I'm sorry. That's not funny." She assured him, though she was still fighting the giggles.

Orson chuckled in spite of himself. "Actually, it is. The name she said was yours."

Katherine had been taking a sip of her drink when he said this, and it almost went up her nose. She coughed once, sputtering.

"What?! During...!?"

It was Orson's turn to laugh. "To be precise, it was right after."

Katherine gasped. "Oh my god. Is that why she was acting so weird the other day? She's hung up...on me?"

"She's hung up on the fact that she was thinking of you, at the very least. I told her it happened all the time, that it didn't really mean anything."

"Ohhh..." Katherine's eyes went wide very slowly. As drunk as she was, she still remembered their little kiss.

"What?" said Orson suspiciously.

"I kissed her." Katherine whispered loudly. The people at the next table gave her a funny look.

"What?" Orson repeated, deadpan.

"Platonically!" added Katherine. "...I, I think. It was a spur of the moment thing. Surely you understand the sudden, urgent need to kiss Bree."

"Well, yes, of course, but...does this mean...?"

"No!" Katherine reached over the table to hit Orson's arm and gave him the best _how could you say that?_ look she could give in the condition she was in. "At least, I don't think so..."

Katherine slid out of the booth. Blood rushed to her head when she stood, making her dizzy. She wobbled, but managed to steady herself when she grabbed Orson's arm.

"Orson, I'm too drunk to make sense of this right now. I have to go."

Before Orson could protest, Katherine stumbled away toward the door. He saw her purse left behind on the table, and he put the set of keys he found in his pocket. He knew that she wouldn't figure out where they'd gone until after he called a taxi for her.

Was there nowhere left in the world to wallow? Katherine wondered. Even the hotel bar was a place of confusion and pain now. Back at home, she was no longer drunk, and no longer numb to her own thoughts.

Katherine looked at the clock. 11:32. It had been four minutes since she last checked.

She tried going to sleep, but despite her fatigue, she found her eyes staying open and her mind buzzing. She tried to remember exactly what she'd said to Bree, and then she would think about the look on Adam's face before he closed the door, and then back to Bree and what she must have been thinking these past few days, which would remind her of how she'd messed things up with Adam...

What time was it now? 11:34.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. At first, Katherine was relieved at the prospect of being distracted by someone, but then she remembered what time it was and realized that there were only two people who would be showing up at this hour.

She made her way down the stairs, and the visitor knocked on the door. It was loud and strong, a man's knock.

"Oh dear." Katherine said, knowing she would find Adam on the other side.


	5. Chapter 5

He was leaning on the door jamb when she opened the door. Seeing his face so close gave Katherine a familiar rush, reminding her instantly of all the time they'd spent together not talking.

"I lost my phone for a couple days," Adam started. "So I just got your message...I think I listened to it twenty times on my way over here."

"What are you doing here, Adam?"

Katherine had assumed her message would be enough to keep Adam away.

"Well, I would have called first but I didn't think you'd let me come over."

"You know me better than you thought."

"Can I come in?"

Katherine moved aside, letting Adam move through the door.

"Do you want me to make some coffe-"

"I don't want coffee. I want you to listen."

"Okay." said Katherine, crossing her arms. She wasn't used to this forceful side of Adam, having always been the one to give orders.

"One," Adam began. "You don't get to decide whether or not you're worth the effort. That's up to me. And you? You are more than worth it. Two, you are not the only one here with a little baggage. I know sometimes it feels like you're the only person with a shitty past but I've got some stories of my own to share if you'll let me. Which, by the way, you will. Three...yeah, you can be a bitch sometimes. But that's what I like about you. You know what you like, you know what you want, and that will make it so much easier when I'm buying you a birthday gift in two months."

When Adam revealed that he knew her birthday she finally cracked a smile, but Katherine was a stubborn woman, and was not going to give in so easily.

"Adam...you're still young. Don't you want a nice girl that won't boss you around and take you for granted? Because if you hadn't noticed, I was doing that already."

"I _found_ a nice girl. And I'm not as much of a pushover as you think. I'm not going to go away just because you think you're hard to handle."

"There's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise?"

"Nope. So...shut up and let me love you."

"Adam, I-" Katherine started to blow him off again, but she stopped short when Adam took a strong step forward.

"I said shut up." Adam repeated. He took hold of Katherine's arms, pulling her close and looking into her eyes to make sure she saw him, to make sure she saw how serious he was. Katherine was tense, trying to hold in her emotion so she wouldn't be moved enough to cry.

"I love you." he told her. "And no wisecrack or smart-ass comment is going to change that."

Katherine closed her eyes, but it was too late. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and there was no way to hide her feelings anymore.

"Damn you." she whispered. She felt Adam wipe away the tear with his thumb.

That night, Katherine and Adam laid in bed talking about their failed marriages and starting over. And when Katherine grew tired of talking, Adam held her until she fell asleep in his arms. He felt her steady breathing, and watched her lips move while she spoke in dreams.

"Yup." he said quietly, careful not to wake her. "You're stuck with me now."

Katherine awoke the next morning still wrapped in Adam's arms. She tried to sneak out of bed quietly, but she heard Adam stir.

"Hey, where are you going?" he murmured sleepily.

"I have to talk to Bree. I won't be long."

"Good." Adam continued, his eyes still closed as he turned onto his stomach and got comfortable again. "I want to show you how much I care again, but with sex this time."

Katherine laughed, leaning over to give Adam a kiss on the cheek.

"Good thing you got some rest..." she purred in his ear. "I'll be right back."

* * *

Orson waited on Bree's doorstep after ringing the bell. He had a bouquet of red roses in one hand, a piece of note paper in the other. He glanced at the paper, deciding at the last minute that it was probably a bit over the top. Did Bree enjoy poetry? He couldn't remember ever discussing it with her...she enjoyed the opera, but all he'd managed were a few scrawled verses. Orson folded up the paper and stuffed it in his pocket.

The door opened, and a goddess appeared. Bree's face lit up at the sight of Orson, and then she noticed the flowers. She put a hand to her chest, making the most precious face he'd ever seen.

"Now that's the reaction I was hoping for."

"Oh, Orson! I don't deserve those."

Orson shook his head in protest, but Bree continued.

"I meant to call you, I swear I did. I've just been so...embarassed. It was worse than when you tried to kiss me on our second date."

"Nooo," said Orson. "It was just a -"

"My greatest fear," Bree paved over him. "Is that I've made you think I don't want you anymore, which couldn't be further from the truth. I can't bear the thought of losing you over something so trivial, and here I go ignoring you for days on end. It was just a silly slip and I was blowing it out of proportion. "

Bree sighed happily, allowing herself to be distracted again by Orson's gift. "These flowers are _beau_tiful..." She took the bouquet, putting her nose in the barely blooming roses and inhaling deeply. "You are the sweetest man to ever walk this earth, Orson Hodge."

Orson smiled, relieved. There was so much that he wanted to say, and he barely knew where to begin.

"Why don't you come in and have a seat," Bree suggested. "I just took a batch of blueberry muffins out of the oven and I am going to give you the very. First. One."

"Bree, I-" he started, moving his foot to take a step forward. But before he could put it down again, he heard someone behind him say:

" 'scuse me, pumpkin."

Katherine barged past Orson, brushing a few petals from the flowers as she passed. "I need to talk to Bree. It won't take long."

Katherine closed the door in Orson's face and took Bree by the arm, pulling her toward the living room.

"Katherine? What's going on?" asked a bewildered Bree, allowing Katherine to guide her to a seat on the couch.

Katherine took the flowers, placed them gingerly on the coffee table and sat next to Bree, situating herself so that their knees were almost touching. Katherine looked at her, all business, and Bree looked back, waiting for an explanation.

"Orson told me what happened." said Katherine.  
Bree froze. She thought the whole Orson-on-the-doorstep-with-flowers thing had resolved this particular issue.

"He what?"

"And I think I have a solution."

"Oh?" Bree's voice rose an octave.

"We should kiss again."

"...Pardon?"

"You know, to demystify it for you."

Bree shook her head no. "I really don't think that's necessary." she said with a forced chuckle.  
"Come on, it'll be quick. You won't feel a thing, and we can go back to being friends who don't have awkward moments."

Bree tried to protest, but all that came out of her mouth was a mild squeaking noise.

"Don't be nervous!" Katherine reassured her. "I promise it won't hurt. Now hold still."

Katherine shifted in her seat, smoothing her shirt and generally preparing for the task at hand.

Bree closed her eyes, more out of fear than out of a sense of romance. She felt the couch move slightly as Katherine leaned closer, but she still jumped when she felt Katherine's lips brush hers. Katherine lurched back.

"I said hold still!"

Bree pressed her lips together, forcing Katherine to squeeze Bree's cheeks until she pouted. Bree furrowed her eyebrows, but kept her lips in a kissing position. Katherine waited for Bree's face to relax again, and leaned forward.

"Ready?" Katherine whispered, but before Bree could nod or say anything, Katherine kissed her. It was feather soft and sweet as candy, as innocent as a kiss could be. Like the first time, Bree tensed at the beginning. Her recovery time had improved however, and she quickly relaxed so that she could analyze every bit of it.

Katherine leaned back, and they opened their eyes slowly.

"See? No big deal." said Katherine. Smile. Shrug.

Bree nodded and gave an understanding smile. They both sat, nodding and smiling, until Katherine said: "One more time?"

"Yes, just to be sure." Bree agreed.

* * *

Outside, Orson waited. He briefly contemplated going in, but Katherine had said they'd only be a moment. So he stood, occassionally walking the few steps back and forth in front of Bree's door, until Adam came along.

"Uh, you're Orson, right?" Adam asked, approaching with hesitation.

"Yes?"

"I'm Adam, Katherine might have mentioned...?"

"Oh yes, of course! Nice to meet you, Adam."  
"You too." Adam said, and they shook hands. "Flowers. Shoot. I should remember to do that next time."

"I'm not so sure. It didn't get me in the door." said Orson with an awkward chuckle.

"Is Katherine in there?"

* * *

Katherine tucked a strand of hair behind Bree's ear.

"I got a slight tingling feeling that time." Bree reported.  
"Do you want to do it again, to make sure it wasn't just a fluke?"

"If you think it would help."

"Anything to put you at ease!"

They kissed a little harder this time. One could claim they were rushing to get it over with, but Bree put her hand on Katherine's without thinking.

* * *

"Usually I would say get in good with the best friend, but Bree has been pulling for you from the beginning. Give her space...but don't disappear. The trick is to be there when she realizes she wants you."

"That's good advice. Hey, maybe we should go in and check on them."

"I suppose it has been a while..."

Orson opened the door slowly, knowing that he was interrupting whatever private conversation they were having.

"Whoa." They both said in unison. They backed out slowly, closing the door.

"Our girlfriends are making out." said Adam.

"Looks that way." said Orson.

"I should probably go."

"Yes, this is awkward."

Instead of leaving, they opened the door again just enough to peek...

* * *

Bree pulled back suddenly.

"There was _more_ tingling that time."

"Maybe we should stop, then."

"No! I mean, yes. I mean..."

Bree dove in for another taste, less bashful than before. Somewhere in between Bree squeezing Katherine's hand and Katherine lacing her fingers through Bree's, their lips had parted and their kiss became deeper. The sound Bree made when she felt Katherine's tongue for the first time made Katherine tingle too.

They broke, breathless.

"I'm confused." said Bree.

"I can tell." said Katherine. Bree's cheeks were flushed, and she looked...helpless. It made Katherine smile.

"It figures." Katherine sighed. "We finally meet two perfect guys and _then_ we start making out with each other."

"Strange how life works out." Bree chuckled sheepishly. "Oh! So you and Adam worked things out?"

"Yes. He came over last night and held me in his arms until I fell asleep, it was terribly romantic."

"Aw, I'm happy for you." said Bree dreamily.

They gazed at each other, hands still intertwined.

"So..." Bree continued. "...Stop or go?"

Katherine looked to the side, thinking for a moment.

"Go."

They picked up where they left off, heads twisting and turning so they could experiment more thouroughly.

* * *

"This is starting to get insulting." said Orson.

"That wasn't the word I was going to use..." said Adam.

* * *

_fifteen minutes later..._

Bree blinked four, five, six times, catching her breath. Her lipstick had been rubbed off completely, as had Katherine's.

"I feel dizzy." Bree admitted.

"Oh you poor dear! We should stop."

Katherine told Bree to stay put while she got her a glass of water.

"So..." said Katherine once Bree had recovered. "Do you feel better about it now?"  
"Oh, yes. Much, _much_ better."

"Good. And if you ever feel confused again," Katherine started.

"We'll just work it out together." Bree finished.

"Right."

"I'm going to go tell Orson the good news."

"And I'll tell Adam."

Bree and Katherine walked to the door arm in arm. Orson and Adam scrambled to look like they hadn't been watching the whole time. Katherine was surprised to find Adam outside with Orson.

"How did your 'talk' go?" asked Adam with a smirk.

"It went swimmingly." Katherine replied, perky as ever. "I just reminded Bree that, since we are such good friends, she can share anything with me."

"Anything at all." Bree added.

Orson thought they were smiling a little too warmly at one another, but Bree unhooked her arm from Katherine's in exchange for his own.

"I believe there's a muffin in here with your name on it." she said.

"And she's not talking about baked goods." said Katherine, taking Adam by the hand. "That's our cue to leave."

* * *

Bree led Orson to her kitchen for the promised blueberry muffin. He stood next to her at the island and watched her take the perfectly rendered treats out of the pan to place them on a cooling rack.

Bree glanced at him, noticing a pleased look on his face.  
"What are you smiling about?" she asked coyly.

"Oh, nothing. Just that you went to second base with your best friend, is all."

"Second base?!" Bree exclaimed, as if Orson suggested she eat a kitten. "We kissed to prove a point, that's all."

"I saw Katherine's shirt. It was disheveled."

Bree's jaw dropped. It wasn't true, but she was mortified by the mere suggestion. She saw then that he was just teasing her, and she relaxed. Then she realized that he must have seen them kissing in the first place, and gave Orson a _forgive me?_ smile.

"I don't mind if you kiss Katherine every once in a while. As long as I'm the one who gets the muffin at the end of the day."

Bree, batting her eyelashes, held up a small plate with the largest muffin of the batch on it.

"Always."


End file.
